Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader - December 2007 - (Page 33)

SPECIAL FEATURE STORIES Billy was soon removed from the GM helm, as his gambler ways did not settle well among the button-down businessmen. He had formed a racing team at GM and announced to his chief driver: “Louis, you always wanted to design a car now's the time. You design it and I'll build it.” “You have to put my name on the radiator shell,” Louis said. Billy Durant held good on his promise and successfully introduced Louis Chevrolet's new car. It sold so well that in a few years Billy walked back into General Motors a few years later and announced, “Gentlemen, The Chevrolet Motor Car Company now controls General Motors.” Soon he would buy the Cadillac Automobile Company from master machinist Henry Leland. Leland had previously walked into a defunct Henry Ford Motor Company at the turn of the century to help liquidate it and decided to introduce a new vehicle which would be named after the founder of Detroit: Sieur Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. Henry Ford had left the original firm but managed to introduce his first Model A in 1903 and never looked back. He was aided in producing parts by a pair of brothers named John and Horace Dodge, who would ultimately leave their own name on the auto industry. Henry Leland already had vast shop experience, as he was responsible for turning out thousands of Colt rifles that helped to win the Civil War. He found Durant too difficult to work with and left with son Wilfred to start another auto company. 1903 ( A VERY GOOD YEAR) He again named it after one of his heroes, Abraham Lincoln. The bicycle business was also the training ground for brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright who had constructed a wind tunnel to measure the effects of wind passing over wooden wings. They tested gliders over l,000 times and on December 17, 1903 proved their theory of flight to be correct as their internal combustion engined aero-plane stayed aloft for nearly one full minute. Curious young men all across the world became fascinated with the gasoline-burning engine. The three Davidson brothers of Milwaukee were no different. Each was a journeyman. William was toolmaker; Arthur a pattern maker and Walter a locomotive mechanic. They met Bill Harley, a draftsman along their route and one of them said: “Let's build a gasoline engine.” “What will we put it in?” “How about a motorcycle?” And so they did. When the first example was ready, one of them swung a leg over it and smiled. Then someone had to say, “Let's roll.” Their first product marked Serial Number One was made in 1903. It was a very good year. WALNECKS.COM I WALNECK’S CLASSIC CYCLE TRADER® I DECEMBER 2007 33 http://WALNECKS.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader - December 2007

Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader - December 2007 Contents American The Buzz by Buzz Walneck Tip of The Month by Mike Brown 1903 - A Very Good Year (reprinted with permission) Bubeck, Chase and the Chout (The Story of the Fastest Unstreamlined Indian) a reprint Sudden Death #2 Davenport Recap Calendar of Events Barber Vintage Festival Recap British A Flash From The Past (Old BSA Runs with a Modern Racing Pack) Biker of the Month Bench Racing Velocette Thruxton - the 115 mph class European Moto Guzzi V50 II Bub 2007 Meet Japanese The 380 Suzuki Need For Speed Competition Motorbikes & Scooters Antique/Classic Motorcycle Club How to Place a Word ad How to Place a Photo ad Area Code Directory How to subscribe Let Us Help With Your Event

Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader - December 2007

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